Finding a Path to Change

A friend of mine is quite fond of this phrase. He is a faithful and successful AA member who repeats this line to people who ask him for his support on their journey of sobriety. This line comes in very handy when you’re trying to beat an addiction or really, trying to change any behavior.

This line was ringing in my ears yesterday as I was trying to get up my motivation to go for a run. The lazy days of summer have made me just that…lazy. I like to run and I intend to run, but somehow, I twiddle away the day doing this and that, intending to make it the next thing I do…and I don’t get around to it. I have been walking around the neighborhood getting my errands done rather than using a car, but it’s not the same as a run. When I set my mind to doing something, and I don’t do it, it feels….well, it feels…yucky.

So with the above line ringing in my ears, I decided to change up the routine some and make it easier to get out for a morning run. I put on my running clothes the night before and slept in them. It made getting out the door this morning that much easier…just had to put on my socks and runners and I was gone.

Now, the thought of sleeping in my clothes is a little off putting. If my mother reads this, she will likely have a thing or two to say about this…but it worked! I went for a run today. Once I was out the door, it felt good. It was the extra push to get the run done…because it would have felt a little silly wearing those clothes throughout the day, and even sillier changing out of them if I hadn’t actually used them for their intended purpose.

What challenges are you facing? What are you hoping to change? Try a little playfulness in your routine…change it up, even in a silly way to make it different, to make it a little more possible for something to happen that feels successful or progress-even a little progress feels good!